Our Coffee Buttercream is a luscious, creamy frosting made with only three ingredients. Its rich texture and delicate balance of flavours make it the perfect addition to cakes and cupcakes.

This is the best Coffee Buttercream recipe! It has just the right amount of coffee, which offsets the sweetness of the icing sugar. It's super easy to make and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Coffee Buttercream can be used for many sweet recipes, such as a filling for cakes, swirled atop a batch of freshly baked cupcakes and many more. We love to use Coffee Buttercream on our Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake and Espresso Brownies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's super easy to make.
- Only three ingredients.
- You can make it ahead and store it in the fridge.
Recipe Ingredients

Note: The full quantities are shown in the recipe card below
- Unsalted butter - unsalted butter gives you complete control of the overall flavour of your recipe, as the salt content in different butter brands can vary greatly.
- Icing sugar - also known as confectioners sugar.
- Coffee flavouring - we use instant coffee granules mixed with boiling water. You could use espresso instead.
How to Make Coffee Buttercream
Note: This is a summary of the instructions. The full ingredients and instructions are shown in the recipe card below.

- Dissolve the instant coffee granules in boiling water and let it cool down before making the buttercream.

- Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until creamy.

- Gradually beat in the icing sugar, starting at a low speed. This prevents it from flying everywhere.

- Mix until creamy on a low speed to prevent air bubbles.

- Add the cooled coffee one teaspoon at a time and mix well on a low speed.

- Check for consistency and add more icing sugar if you want it thicker.

Storage
Store the buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
To freeze, store the buttercream in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw the buttercream, transfer it to the fridge the day before you would like to use it. Bring the buttercream to room temperature, then re-whip it so that it is smooth.
Common Questions
Yes, you can. Use one tablespoon of espresso in this recipe.
Sometimes, the buttercream will split if the butter is too cold or the coffee flavouring is too hot.
To thicken the buttercream, add a tablespoon of icing sugar at a time and mix until it's the consistency you require. If the buttercream becomes too thick, add a little milk to thin it out.
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📖 Recipe

Coffee Buttercream
Equipment
- 1 hand-held whisk
Ingredients
- 150 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 300 g icing sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules mixed with 1 tablespoon of boiling water, note 1
Instructions
- Dissolve 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules in 1 tablespoon of boiling water and let it cool completely before making the buttercream.
- Beat the softened butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric whisk until creamy. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until light and fluffy (this helps it not to fly everywhere). Beat on a low speed to prevent the buttercream from getting air bubbles.
- Beat in the cooled coffee one teaspoon at a time until it's incorporated.
- Add a tablespoon or two of icing sugar if you want the buttercream thicker. If the buttercream is too thick, thin it with some milk.
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